Jets Slammed for One of the ‘Worst Draft Picks’ in 30 Years

The New York Jets have developed an unfortunate reputation in the NFL draft with some historically poor selections.

Although recently in the buildup to the 2022 NFL draft, a ranking of some of the worst picks ever was revealed, and believe it or not a former Jets player somehow cracked the list.

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Just a Brutal Miss of Epic Proportions

Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report recently ranked the top-11 worst draft picks over the last 30 years.

It didn’t take long for a member of the Jets to make an appearance as the No. 6 player on this list, Vernon Gholston, EDGE rusher, out of Ohio State.

He was originally selected with appropriately the No. 6 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft. Gholston had an insanely productive college career with the Buckeyes racking up 22.5 sacks, 30.5 tackles for loss, and over 87 total tackles.

The Jets weren’t just wowed by his production, Gholston also blew up the NFL combine that year:

• 37 bench press reps at 225 pounds
• 35.5 vertical jump
• 125 broad jump

Heading into the 2008 NFL draft here is what people were saying about his ceiling:

“Vernon Gholston is a remarkable talent, but he’s only just begun realizing his vast potential. He never picked up a football until his sophomore year in high school and had just one season of defensive experience as a linebacker before being converted to defensive end when he arrived at Ohio State. Blessed with incredible speed (clocked at 4.56 in the 40-yard dash), long limbs, and superb strength, Gholston is the prototype pass rusher that professional teams look for — big, fast, strong, and explosive. An avid performer in the weight room, he boasted the best bench press on the team at 455 pounds. He also put on an impressive performance for teammates, squatting 405 pounds 20 times. How Gholston was lured into football will one day make a nice story, if he becomes the legendary pass rusher many personnel experts are predicting.”

Spoiler alert: he didn’t.

Despite all that, he simply couldn’t make the transition from 4-3 end to 3-4 hybrid outside linebacker. Wharton in his column called it “disastrous.”

During his three years with the team, Gholston never registered a single sack.

Rich Cimini of ESPN recently shared a story of how the Jets tried to change that:

“In the 2010 season finale, a game that meant nothing because the Jets had clinched a playoff spot, the coaches designed specific plays for Gholston so he could get that elusive sack. Not even a customized game plan worked.”

After that season, Gholston was cut by the Jets. He tried to make a few comebacks in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears but never made the roster.

Ever since making that brutal miss in the draft, Gang Green has neglected to dip their toes back into the EDGE rushing waters in the first round.

What People Often Forget

Gholston was one of the worst picks not just in Jets history, but in NFL history as well. However few people understand the full ripple effects of that brutal miss.

It wasn’t just one bad draft pick and move on, it went much deeper than that.

If Gang Green would’ve hit on the former Ohio State pass rusher in any significant way, just imagine how that could’ve changed football history.

During his three years with the team, they were really good in spite of him going 9-7 (2008), 9-7 (2009), and 11-5 (2010).

The latter two of which resulted in trips to the conference championship game. Gholston was relegated to more special teams snaps than he was defensive, but what if he would’ve turned into the dominant EDGE rusher the Jets thought he was going to be?

Would Gang Green have gone to the Super Bowl? Would they have won it?

He would’ve been the missing piece on some of the best defenses in franchise history with Darrelle Revis in prime ‘Revis Island’ mode, David Harris, Bart Scott, and so many others.

Ah, what could’ve been.

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